> Multi-lingual addresses

> Indian pre-paid ban

> Review: Borderlands

> IM for newbies

> In video: Funny ads

> Zuma vows to do more

> EU disagree on climate

> Ancient urns found

> FB gets new privacy

> Happy birthday internet!

Today, 09 February 2010

› Strike three, Mr President

› Cooked head discovered

› Zuma apology 'unwelcome'

› 'Illegal' traps blasted

› 'No jail for Barbie'

Yesterday, 08 February 2010

› No credit to FW - Zuma

› Zapiro revives showerhead

› 'Our president has failed'

› Praise for Amla

› 'Zuma should be forgiven'

Grant: Well we obviously we need to look at how toothless we want to make this tiger. Obviously we can't regulate the porn industry worldwide and that is not one of our objectives. Our objective is actually to ask how we can actually pose value to our members and create a code of conduct for a respectable business to operate within.

Malcolm: Okay. So would a DMA member need to put that on their email as well?

Grant: That would be optional. It's actually not a requirement of ours but obviously we are trying to create it as an accreditation to say that because I'm a member of the DMA I hence conform with the DMA set of guidelines and you can rely on a wide range of items, not just in terms of spam but obviously privacy, secrecy, security, returns and all of that.

Malcolm: That brings me to this business of returns and delivery. I'm often concerned that when you're dealing with a company it looks huge on the Internet but you have no idea how big that company is. It could be a little garage operation somewhere in Blikkiesdorp. So you think it's a good company, you send them your money in good faith and the next thing you're going grovelling to your credit card company to say that you didn't get anything and asking for your money back.

Grant: Absolutely. I think that one of our primary objectives is actually to get information about who that supplier is. I don't know if you've seen how many sites there are out there that actually do not tell you who is behind this all and what they're doing, whether it's a company or a closed corporation or whether it is actually a company at all. One of our requirements for our members is to actually publish that information as well as their physical and traditional contact information on that site. That's actually our first step.

Malcolm: Okay. So these e-business committee guidelines are completed now, are they?

Grant: No, we've completed the first draft and we want to make this an inclusive process so we are actually holding an event next week where we have invited industry to come and make comments on the draft that we've put out.

Malcolm: Is this a live event?

Grant: Yes. We actually want to talk face to face and hopefully scream and rattle some cages, and try and get some excitement back into the industry. It's not all doom and gloom and .gone and we want to see what we can actually do to sort of consolidate and rationalise the industry.

Malcolm: Now if I wanted to join the DMA and wanted to be there, how would it work?

Grant: The best way is to go to www.dma.co.za and all the contact details and information are there.

Malcolm: We've got Margaret on the line who wants to know a little bit about fax advertising.

Margaret: I don't know if this is relevant to you or not but we are absolutely plagued by unsolicited fax advertising. We went to the Advertising Standards Bureau and they sent us to Harmful Businesses but we're not getting anywhere. Have you got any suggestions?

Grant: Unfortunately we don't actually handle the non-e-business side of the DMA complaints but what I would strongly suggest is that you go to www.dma.co.za, find the number and complain stringently.

Margaret: Yes, because this unsolicited fax advertising is always in huge black letters and I've got one of these toner printers and I'm having to replace the toner so often. In other works they're making us pay for their advertising.

Malcolm: Is it also coming through to you at all hours of the night?

Margaret: Yes it is because we do work from home.

Malcolm: Yes, this drives a lot of people insane and I can well believe it.

Margaret: The thing is they don't give you a fax number that you can reply to. You've got to phone a number and listen to all this blurb.

Malcolm: This show is beginning to sound like Isabel Jones now but I'm sure it can drive you insane. But go to the DMA web site and you'll find all the details you need right there.

Margaret: Thank you so much for your help.

Malcolm: Grant, when are we going to see this all finalised, in that case?

Grant: As a committee we'd like to make it as fast a process as possible. The committee was only formed just over two months ago so we're actually moving fast. So we've got to a draft stage in two months and I would like to see it out in the marketplace and accepted by the DMA members at the next board meeting, which is in about two or three months time.

Malcolm: That's great. Thank you very much indeed.

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